Not this time
by MarieTheManiac
Summary: Leo has to watch his little brother die. The brother's final words and final thoughts. Rated T for charakter death ***brotherly fluff! I cried while writing it!***


_I've uploaded this, because my next chapter in "Broken Promises" surely does take some time :). To keep you entertained, I uploaded this. Possibly there'll be another few one shots. Anyway, enjoy!_

**Not This Time**

The alarm was ringing. Only a matter of time until the left behind foot ninja would find them.

Leonardo didn't know what to do.

He looked down at the limp figure in his arms. Donatello's breathing was smooth, but he grimaced in pain. Leonardo clutched him tighter.

"They're on their way, Donny. They're almost here."

But Leo wasn't so sure himself. Sure, Raph and Mikey knew where they had been fighting, but was there enough time for the orange and red banded ninja to make their way to their brothers?

Donatello was half asleep. But Leo had to keep him awake. Don couldn't fall asleep. He just couldn't.

"Leo", the purple clad turtle whispered weakly, "Leo, I'm scared."

The eldest warrior looked at him, pity and helplessness in his eyes.

"Sshh, I know. I know, Donny." He stroked Donny's forehead.

"It'll be okay."

Don nodded and rested his head back against Leo's chest. Breathing was getting harder.

Leo closed his eyes tightly. He just hated Karai that moment.

* * *

_*Flashback*_

"_You have a choice, Leonardo."_

_Karai had her katana against Don's throat. The purple clad turtle's eyes were filled with fear._

_Karai gripped him tighter, making it impossible for him to escape._

"_Kill my father and I kill your brother. It is on you." "Don't listen to her, Leo!"_

_Karai stabbed Donny into the arm with a knife. Don screamed._

"_No, stop!"_

_Leo was still standing in front of the on the ground lying Shredder, who had fallen unconscious. He gritted his teeth. He dropped his katanas, which had both been pointed at the Shredder's metal chest._

_Karai smirked darkly._

"_Just as I thought."_

_She let go of Donny who stumbled into Leo's direction. Both had smiles of relieve on their faces, till –_

_Donny gulped. His body trembled for a moment, before he fell onto the ground._

_A sword stuck in his side._

"_NO!"_

_Leo fell down next to the younger, completely shocked and disbelieving._

_He gazed at Karai._

"_I am sorry, Leonardo. Those were my orders given."_

_With that, two foot ninja grabbed the Shredder and they all vanished with a helicopter._

_Leo screamed after them, cursed them, his voice filled with pure desperation._

_When the helicopter was out of sight, Leo looked down at Donny._

_His eyes were wide and his breathing uneven._

_Leo wrapped his arms around him._

"_I'm sorry", he whispered over and over. "I'm so sorry."_

_*Flashback End*_

* * *

Tears were welling up Leo's eyes. They shouldn't have come here in the first place. This whole thing could have been prevented. Leo felt so stupid.

"L – Leo."

Leonardo looked at Donny. His eyes had gotten wide again.

"L - leave m…me behind. G – go fi – ind Raph a – and Mikey. I'll only s – low y – you down."

Donny coughed. A few drops of blood escaped his mouth.

"Are you out of your mind? No way would I leave you behind, Donny."

He leaned his forehead against Donny's.

"I'd rather die."

Don hiccupped.

"D – don't be a – all f – fearless l – leaderish. J – just go."

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: No. Way. In. Shell. Am. I. Leaving. You. Here. Discussion over!"

"Bu – ut, Leo -!" "No 'buts', Donatello! Just keep your mouth shut and save your strength."

Leo placed his mouth onto Donny's forehead.

"I'll stay right here."

Don closed his eyes. It had no use discussing with his older brother. But they were sure running out of time. Donny coughed again, harder this time. He, again, grimaced in pain. His throat was burning.

"L…Leo." Said turtle looked down at the purple banded ninja. Donny didn't continue. He didn't want to talk to Leo. He just wanted to make sure that he was still there.

"Leo.", Donny whispered again, causing the older to smile.

"I'm still here, little brother, and I'm not going anywhere soon."

Don had to cough again, longer and much more painful. He whimpered. Leo pressed Donny close against his chest, feeling the tears coming back. Where the shell were their brothers?

"L – Leo…pull it o – out. Pl – please!"

Don had a painful expression on his face and tears found their way down. The katana was still stuck in Donny's side. Leo had not wanted to pull it out, on one hand, not to risk to much blood loss, and on the other hand…not to be the one who hurts his brother. He had already had to hurt Donny one time before. He still saw the gun in his hands. He couldn't stand to cause him pain ever again.

"D…do it f – for me - e, Leo. P – lease."

Leo clenched his eyes together. If he pulled the sword out they would not be able to save Don in time. But letting it where it was wouldn't be any better.

So, Leo had two options:

Letting his little brother die with a sword sticking in his organs.

Or, letting his little brother die with a deep bleeding wound on his side.

The wider the choice, the greater the trouble.

"P – please! E – end th – this n – night – mare."

Leo's eyes widened. Had Donny actually asked him to -?

"Donny, I…you can't possibly -!" "You d – on't ha – ve t – o. I'm a – asking y - you th – thi – is as a fa – favor." "But what kind of favor, Donny? You want me to…I…"

Leo's body was trembling and he grabbed his brother tightly. He never wanted to let go.

Leo nuzzled his head against Donny's.

"Please, Donny! Don't do this to me! Just hang on! Hang on for Master Splinter, and Mikey, and Raph and me!"

Don smiled weakly.

"N – not fa – air. You kn – ow tha – at I'd do any – thing f – for you g – uys."

The tears were streaming down both their faces now.

Donny took a deep breath.

"I – I do – n't wa – ant to d – do this t – to you. I – I know I h – h – aven't b – een here en – enough f -or you g – guys a – and I sh – ouldn't ask y – you f – for – or that f – favor, b - but I – m done f – for anywa – anyway."

Leo had listened closely and almost laughed at one ridiculous statement.

"You really think you haven't been there enough for us? Donny, every time we'd have a fight with the foot or whatever you always look out for _us _instead of you! You'd stay up until late night to repair the things we broke or build us some new gadgets. Heck, you haven't slept for a whole week while working on Mikey's birthday present a couple of months ago! You do spend some time in your lab, but even that's mostly because of us! And when you're out of your lab you'd always be there for quality time with the family. Donny, the only thing you're there for is _us_!"

Leo grabbed Don as tight as possible without hurting him.

"And you're _not done for_!"

Don had a sad smile on his face.

"You - ou ca - an't talk m - me out of th - at, big br - other." "Donatello, you are going to hang on! You are going to survive and you are going to be Mikey's big and Raph's and my little brother! Did you get that?"

Donny looked at his eldest brother. He knew he was desperate. Either was Donny.

But Leo would have to face the facts.

"Leo."

Donny tried to lift his hand and place it on Leo's cheek. Leo helped him by pressing Don's hand onto his cheek with his own hand.

"The – re ha – ave be – een so – o man – any times whe – en you sa – ved me. A – and I co – ouldn't th – thank you enou – enough fo – or that. Bu – ut y – ou are no – ot able t – to save m – my life thi – is time." Donny used his thumb to wipe a tear off his older brother's face.

"N – not thi – is time, bi – big brother."

Donny gulped. He felt like throwing up. His breaths got shorter. Leo held him tight, buried his face into Donny's neck.

"Donny, please!"

Don used his last breaths to whisper into Leo's ear: "T – tell Master…Splinter tha – at I lo – ove him a – and that he – shall con – ontinue t – to train you – ou the a – art of nin – ninjutsu. Te – ll M – Mikey never t – to change. Tell Raph th – that he – e must no – not ke – eep his fe – feelings ins – ide. That's o – one of the…the rea – easons why he – he's always s – so angry. And ne – ever forget -"

Donny lifted Leo's head to look at him. His dark chocolate eyes were filled with desperation. Donny leaned his forehead against Leo's.

"Ne – ever forget tha – at I l – love y – you, Leo. Y – you are th – the best l – leader a – nd big br – brother w – we could've a – asked for. Y – you a – and Ra – aph and M – Mikey a – are th – the mos –most imp – portant th – thing I – in th – the world t – to me. I…I love you."

Leo could barely hold back the sobs. Donny couldn't die, he couldn't!

The purple banded turtle rested his head onto Leo's chest.

"I'll a – always love y – you."

Leonardo took Donny's head into his hands. The tears couldn't be stopped.

"We love you too, Donny. We love you more than anything in the world. You are Mikey's favorite brother, and even if Raph teases you, he'd do anything to keep you save when we're in trouble. And I…I -!" "Sshh."

Donny again laid his hand onto Leo's cheek. "I kn – know wha – at you m – mean, Leo."

Don hissed in pain and Leo knew what he had to do. He softly laid the younger on the ground and then moved to Donny's left side, where the katana was still stuck. Donny's eyes widened a little.

"Y – you don't h – ave to."

Leo knelt down beside Donny and caressed his cheek. He smiled sadly.

"Anything for you, bro."

He moved his hand to the sword. "This is gonna hurt, Donny."

Don managed a small smile.

"I…I know, b – but I tr – trust y – you."

Leo moved his shaking hand towards Donny's. Holding his hand tight, Leo gritted his teeth.

One fast pull. Donny screamed in pain. Leo collapsed beside him, wrapping his arms around the younger. "It's over now, Donny." A soft sob escaped Leo's mouth. "It's all over."

Donatello was shaking in pain, but he smiled an exhausted smile.

"T – thanks, bi – big b…brother.

Blood. So much blood floating out of the wound. Donny got paler by the second.

Leo tightened his hug and placed a soft kiss on his little brother's sweating forehead.

"I'll stay. I'll stay with you, Donny." Another soft kiss. "The pain will be gone soon."

Donatello trembled harder than he had the whole time.

This time, it really was his final breath he used for his brother.

"L…love y – you, b – b – ig br – br – bro…ther."

His strength was fading, Donny's ability to speak as well.

Leonardo took Donny's head inside his hands and leaned their foreheads together.

"I love you too, little brother."

With the best smile he could manage crossing Donny's face…Leo's purple clad brother's body went limp. The dam broke.

Leo started to cry and sob uncontrollably, pressing the dead body of his brother against him.

He sat like that for another few minutes, starting to feel exhausted.

He laid Donny's body on the ground and rested his own head against the dead teenager's chest, clinging onto him tightly.

"Good night, Donny."

**The End**


End file.
